chapter 18 of Govinda lilamrta

[Paramananda das]

CHAPTER 18

 

 

"More poems of the parrots, Radha and Krishna's dice-game and worship of the sun god."

 

 

Then lsvari Radhika lovingly took one suka- parrot on Her hand and induced him to sing more. Krishna did the same with a sarika parrot. (1)

 

 

stuhi kirabhira viram niradabha sarirabham

girindra dharinam dhiram saras tira kutiragam

 

Radhika told the suka: "0 Kira, praise the hero of the cowherders, whose body shines like a monsooncloud, who calmly held Govardhana Hill and who has come to a cottage on the bank of My lake!" (2)

 

 

vada suka sad gunamani nikarakara taruni madaka madhu madhuradhara sundara sekhara suci rasa sagara

vraja kula nandana jaya vara nagara

 

"0 Suka, tell Krishna: "0 Mine of all jewel-like good qualities, whose lips are the sweet honeywine for all the young girls! 0 Most beautiful One! 0 Ocean of conjugal mellows! 0 Son of the tribe of Vraja! 0 Best of heroes! Glories to You!" (3)

 

 

agha baka sakataka dava bhaya harana nava dala kamalaja madahara carana carana jalaja nata jana caya sarana

patha khaga jaya jaya dhara vara dharana

 

"0 Bird, recite: "Glory, glory to the holder of the best of mountains, the remover of fear of the Agh-, Baka-, Sakata-demons and of the forestfire, glory to Him whose feet steal the pride of the fresh lotuspetals and whose lotusfeet are the shelter for all the humble souls!" (4)

 

 

maniufa kamala manjiram guna gambhiram surari rangam viram

girivara dharana dhiram bhana dhrta hiram harim kira

 

"0 Kira, praise Hari, whose lotuslike anklebells make sweet, unclear sounds, whose qualities are grave and who heroicly combats the demons, who calmly lifts the best of mountains and who wears diamonds and Kunda-flowers!" (5)

 

 

kalindi jala kallola vihara vara varanam

ramani karini sangam gin kandara mandiram vilasa lahari sindhum capalodara kundalam

kira cintaya govindam sarasam bhasurangadam

 

1"0 Kira, remember Govinda, who plays in the water of the Yamuna, who plays with the elephant-like gopis, who has His palaces in the caves of Govardhana Hill, who is an ocean full of waves of playfulness and who wears restless earrings and splendid armlets!" (6-7)

 

 

stuhi sari manohari varUali jid ananam

jagan nan garva han gunodaram mama priyam

 

Krishna then said: "0 sari praise My beloved, whose face enchants the waterlotuses and whose generous qualities eclipse the pride of all the ladies of the world!" (8)

 

 

nagari nagadhara nagara hrdaya marali asi radhike dhanya trjjagat taruni sreni kalasu sisyayate yat te

 

"0 Charming heroine Radhike! Blessed You are! You are like a swan in the pond of Giridhari's heart and all the young girls are Your disciples in the art of love!" (9)

 

 

gunamani khanir udyat prema sampat sudhabdhis tribhuvana vara sadhvi vrnda vandychita shrih

bhuvana mahita vrndaranya rajyadhi rajni

vilasati kila sa shri radhikeha svayam shrih (10)

 

sal laksanaih sad guna sancayaih parair ananyagaih sat pranayais ca nirmalaih vasam vidhayafitam apy anena ya lasaty atavyam iha sa svayam rama (11)

 

"That Shri Radhika, who is a mine of jewel-like qualities and a swelling nectar-ocean of love, who is praised by all the chaste girls of the three worlds for Her beauty, and who is the empress of the world famous Vrndavana appears here as the original goddess of fortune. She appears to control even Ajita, the invincible Krishna with Her attributes and characteristics and Her pure, exclusive love. In this forest (Vrndavana) she appears as the original goddess of fortune." (10-11)

 

 

dharadhara dharam dhiram dharoddhara dhuram dharam dharam dharam rurodhara radha dhfradhare dharam

 

"Calm Radhika repeatedly keeps Her lips on Giridhari's lips, quickly and calmly embracing and checking Him." (12)

(This sloka consists of only the syllabes ra and dha )

 

 

tire tire tatatarau tairarat taittiri tatih

rity atite rutair atra tarair atitaram ratim

 

"There are many young partridges under the big trees on every bank of the Yamuna, singing loudly and beautifully, giving great pleasure, attraction and enchantment to the mind." (13)

(This sloka consists of only the syllables ta and ra )

 

athoddiyapatat sari svesvaryah pani pallave suko'pisasya taveta mudapipathatam punah

 

Then the sari flew up and alighted on the flower-like hand of her mistress Shri Radhika, and the suka also alighted on Krishna's hand. Again they blissfully recited more poems. (14)

 

 

luau mali bhana sari patira hira kundendu candra karaka vimalam aghareh rolamba nirada tamala samanga bhasah

samphulla sarasa makaranda rasati manjum

 

"0 Sari !", the Kira said, "praise Krishna's pure glories that are as bright as the hailstone, sandalwood pulp, Kunda flowers, the moon and diamonds. His luster defeats that of the Tamala-tree, the cloud and the bumblebees, and His play is sweeter than the nectar from the blooming lotusfiowers!" (15)

 

 

gokulendor narinartti kirtir yasya gunair ghunaih jadari knyate visva nari hrd vamsa santatih

 

"The fame of the moon of Gokula (Krishna) dances without cessation. The termites of His transcendental qualities have bored their way into the hearts of all the ladies of the world." (16)

 

 

saran sarasaih saraih sarasam sarasairasaih so'surad sasararam sari rasa rasi sarah

 

"0 Sari! Asurari (Krishna, the enemy or the demons), the enjoyer of the Rasadance, quickly comes here, for the water of Radhakunda is beautified with lotusflowers, bumblebees and crane-birds." (This sloka consists of only the syllables ra and sa ) (17)

 

 

etc duhsila vanita murali dhanayo ratim nivi visramsanad yasya gopibhyah sari tam stuhi

 

"0 Sari! Praise Krishna, whose Murali brings forth naughty girl-like sounds that attract the gopis to Krishna and loosens their girdles!" (18)

 

 

ma dhavasya puronasam sadhvinam gopa subhruvam rajate vadane tanvam api sva priya cetasam

 

"The minds of the chaste, fairbrowed, slender gopis always dwell in their dear Madhava, so they are not very happy to see their husbands' face." (19)

 

 

gambhira nira kana saroja raji sancari manjula samira vilasa loic dola vilasa sarasam sarasi kutire

govinda keli ramanim bhana kira dhiram

 

"0 Kira (male parrot)! Always glorify the grave Radhika, Govinda's playful lover! In a cottage that gently trembles with the pleasant breezes carrying the enchanting aroma of the lotusflowers growing in Radhakunda's deep wate; She plays with Govinda, sitting with Him on the rocking swing." (20)

 

 

sakam sakhibhir agatya kanane'smin dine dine utkapy utkaya me rati radha vamataya bata

 

"Every day this Radha comes to the forest with Her girlfriends to see Me, but despite Her eagerness She also gives Me great sorrow by showing aversion. Alas!" (21)

 

"0 Radhike! My mouth is as eager to kiss Your lips as Your mouth is to kiss Mine!" (22)

 

"If I ask Your friend: "Where is Radhika?", trembling with desire, their angry words and glances give joy to My eyes and ears and they increase the desires in My heart" (23)

 

 

"Very affectionately Radha and Krishna fed the parrots pomegranateseeds and grapes brought by Vrnda, with Their own hands. After rewarding the suka and sarika , They wanted to play dice, so They went to the green kunja of Sudevi-sakh4 named Sudevi sukhada (giving joy to Sudevi). Han entered the wonderful cottage in the kunja and sat down on a seat with His friends while Radhika and Her girlfriends sat down on the other side. (24-26)

 

 

Madhumangala and Lalita became Krishna's and Radhika's respective advisers, Sudevi and Subala sat on Their sides to throw the dice, Nandimukhi and Vrnda were the referees and Kundalata was the leader of the audience. Syama took golden (gaura) and Gauri (Radhika) took syama (bluish) dice to play with. (27-28)

 

 

Fbr the first throw Krishna's pet-deer Suranga and Radhika's pet-doe Rangini were wagered. Krishna won, so Madhumangala joyfully bound the doe up and took her along.(29)

 

 

For the second throw Krishna's flute Murali and Radhika's vina Pavika were wagered. Radhika won, so Lalita snatched the flute away, although Krishna tried to hide it. (30)

 

 

Fkw the third throw Radha and Krishna's necklace were wagereCL Thinking that Radhika had cheated, Madhumangala said: "Krishna, put an end to this game (sari)!" Thinking Madhumangala meant "Kill that sarika (sarim tam maraya), the sarika named Kalokti chirped pitifully and fearfully flew up into the nearest treebranch. Seeing this, the assembled sakhis laughed Seeing that everyone was laughing and making noise, deceitful Han said: "See, I've killed that sarika !" (meaning to say: I did not score enough, but I threw), even though He had not scored enough. (31-33)

 

 

Then Radhika threw a sufficient score to equal Han's score and She laughed with Her sari's, saying: "I have won!" (34)

 

 

Then They both fought hand to hand over the necklaces and Madhumangala, Kundalata and all the gopas and gopis also quarreled with eachother. (35)

 

 

When They consulted Their referees, Nandimukhi and Vrnda said: "Our minds were elsewhere, we didn't hear what was said, so we decide that Your positions are tied. Whoever has won or lost, just throw again and keep Your necklaces on Your necks!" (36-37)

 

 

Radha and Krishna then threw a fourth dice, now putting Their own friends at stake, and Radhika won. Madhumangala became afraid, thinking: "Now they will take me away!"  He threw the dice around over the table and Radha and Krishna began to quarrel: "I have won! I have won!" Then the sakhis came and bound Madhumangala up. Thus a great quarrel arose between the gopas and gopis. (38-39)

 

 

Then Krishna told Radhika: "There will be some dispute. Let's forget the last throw and begin another time, showing Fachother the signs of Our dice! Let's throw more , seeing by the signs on Our dice who has won and who lost. If I thow ten, that will equal Your four! Six will remain for You. From these, five Yamamca are the same, all for You. In this way We Both have five points and thus We Both won. When amongst these six, five meet with the Yamam ca, then We're tied, but if You throw five with another odd, then You win. We can Both take as many parts of Eachother's limbs as We score when We win. The defeated One must embrace the victor; that must be the stake this time!" (40-43)

 

 

Then Radhika threw and scored ten. Seeing this, the sakhis blissfully laughed. Krishna became morose and said: "Now You can take ten of My limbs, namely My arms on Your arms, My chest on Your breasts, My hands in Your hands, My lips on Your lips, My cheek on Your cheek and My mouth on Your mouth."(44-45)

 

 

Radha told Kundalata: "0 referee! Kundalate! I won today, now you take the reward with Your limbs (I placed My limbs in yours)!" (46)

 

 

Han threw and scored four plus five. He was very happy to see this and Kundalata said: "0 Krishna! Take nine of Radha's limbs - Her eyes, cheek, forehead, lips, face and breasts! She has become very proud by somehow winning even a little. Forcibly kiss Her in front of Her friends!" (47-48)

 

 

Lalita said: "0 Hare! Kundalata has accepted Radhika's ten limbs, so take her or Radhika's ten limbs with Your lips!" (49)

 

 

Kundalata said: "I have placed all these limbs in Lalita's left cheek, so place Your lips there!" Hearing this, Krishna eagerly came up to Lalita to kiss her." (50)

 

 

Kundalata said: "When Radhika threw ten, I took Her prize and placed it on Lalita's cheek." Krishna said:"As You order", and went to kiss Lalita's left cheek. Lalita became angry and became averse to the game, chastising Krishna and Kundalata. Krishna told Radha: "You always win! Now take My limbs!", so Krishna began to kiss all of Radha's limbs, causing Her to rebuke Him with crooked, restless eyes and unclear words, giving Him great joy with Her crying mixed with laughter and Her knitted eyebrows as She restrained Him with both hands. (51-53)

 

 

While They played dice like this, a sarika named Suksmadhi suddenly came and said: "Jatila is coming from Vraja!" Hearing this, Radhika and Acyuta became scared and quickly took everyone along to a kunja named Kunjenara (a few miles north-west of Radhakunda) . Kundalata kept Krishna there and went with Radha to the Sun-temple. When they came there, Jatila asked Radha: "Why are You so late?" Kundalata said: "I could not find any brahmana to do the puja, although I looked everywhere. The young gopis had already taken away all the young brahmana-boys! One young brahmana from Mathura, a disciple of Shri Garga Muni, could come. He is expert in worshipping the Sungod and his name is Visva Sarma. He met Krs'na in Kamya vana (26 miles north-west from Radhakunda), where He was herding His cows, then he came to bathe in Aristakunda (Syamakunda). There we asked him to come with us to do surya puja, but Madhumangala, who knows your faults, became angry at your bitter words and forbade this boy to go to see you." (54-60)

 

 

Jatila said: "Now where is this boy?" Kundalata said: "He is looking at the beauty of the forest." Jatila said: "Bring him here carefully!" Kundalata said: "Knowing your character, He does not want to come." Jatila said: "Go there with Dhanistha and tell this boy that if he doesn't want to come I will give him nice sweets and a big reward and He can take Madhumangala along with him too!" (61-62)

 

 

Being thus repeatedly petitioned by Jatila, Kundalata and Dhanistha quickly went to get Krishna, who came along with them and Madhumangala, dressed as a brahmana as the Veda's personified. Jatila honoured Krishna when He came and Krishna happily blessed her; saying: "May your son have many cows and may your daughter-i n-law be all-auspicious!" (63-64)

 

 

When He began the worship, Krishna said: "What is the name of your daughter-in-law?"  Jatila said: "Radha", upon which Krishna became astonished and said: "This is the that qualified girl, whose chastity is known even in Mathura! You are blessed to have such a daughter-in-law!" Then He said to Radhika: "I never do puja to the shining, incorporal god (the sun or Cupid) without being accepted as priest (or lover) so You must accept Me! You see, I never touch women, so touch this Kusa-grass and repeat after Me:"

 

 

jagan mangala krd gotram suci vit pravaram sucim bhavantam visva sarmanam pumhitataya vrne

 

"I accept Visva Sarma, whose dynasty bestows fortune on the world, and who is most pure and learned, as my priest." (Second meaning: I accept Krishna, whose name (gotra) purifies the world, who is most learned in the art of conjugals (suci vit) and who gives joy to the world (Visva sarma) as Mine.) (65-68)

 

 

shri bhasvate'tanu tamah samhartre'ty anuragine

purah sate'smai mitraya padmini bandhave namah

 

"I offer my obeisances to the sungod (Mitra) who is the friend of the lotuses (padmini bandhu) who appeared before me, destroying the darkness (atanu) with his splendour (bhasva) and who is bright red (aty anuragi) in the morning and evening." (Second meaning: I offer myself to bhasvan (Krishna, who has the golden stripe on His chest), who destroys the affliction of lust (atanuta ma) who is the friend (mitra) of the lotuslike gopis (padmini bandhu) and who is very attractive (aty anuragi). (69)

 

 

mantrenanena padyadin mitraya tvam samarpaya

svam ca gauramsukah syat te yatha kama prado vasah

 

"With this mantra You offer aq~ya (handwater) and padya (footwater) to the golden-dressed sun, who will fulIfill Your desires." (Second meaning: Now You offer Yourself to the golden-dressed Krishna, who will fulIfill Your desires." (70)

 

 

tatra svasti rcam sasvat papatha madhumanga Jab pujayam atha purnayam radham upadidesab sab

gopater yaga purty artham radhe tvam ny~a go tatim purohitaya dehy asmai daksinam go samrddhaye

 

Then Madhumangala recited: svasti rcam sasvat (be ever-blessed) and told Radha: "Radhe! To complete the worship of the sun (gopati) and to increase Your wealth of cows (go samrddhi) You must now offer some cows kgo tati) to Him." (Second meaning: Radhe! Now You must offer Your senses kgo tati) to the cowherdking (gopati Krishna) to fulIfill His conjugal sacrifice kyuga purti). (71-72)

 

 

With devotion Jatila offered the priest (Krishna) the sweets and Radha's golden fingerring, but Madhava smiled and said: "We don't accept prasada from demigods, we are exclusive Vaishnava's. Anci I am a pure celibate brahmana, so I don't accept gifts from other castes. I am the disciple of the omniscient Garga Muni and I know the astrological and the marine scriptures. My greatest reward is the love of the people of Vraja, like you!" (73-75)

 

 

Jatila whispered something in Kundalata's ear and Kundalata told Han: "The revered jatila wants You to read the hand of her daughter-in-law to see what is Her future." (76)

 

 

Han told her: "We do not touch women, but because I love you, I will still look at Radha from a distance. Spread the hands of this chaste girl out before Me." Kundalata did this and when He saw Radha's hands He began to cry, horripilate and shiver of ecstasy. Krishna concealed His ecstasy with His astonishment and said: "Aha! How amazing! I can see from the auspicious signs on Her hand that this gid is the goddess of fortune Herself! If She casts Her merciful glance we have our desires for wealth fullfilled and wherever She lives, all is auspicious and opulent." (77-80)

 

 

Then Krishna asked Jatila: "What is the name of your son?" When Jatila told Him and Han saw his horoscope He was amazed and said: "0 Old One! This boy has many difficulties in life, but they are nullified by the influence of this chaste girl!" (81-82)

 

 

Hearing this, Jatila was very happy and placed Radhika's two valuable jeweled rings before Krishna as a reward. Then Subala came and said: "0 Yisva Sarman! Han waits for you to come with Madhumangala and eat fruits and milk from Him (fruits and milk is all that brahmana's accept from lower castes)!" (83-84)

 

 

Krishna said: "I don't accept food cooked by non-brahmanas! Gargi (a brahmana-girl, the daughter of Garga Muni) has invited Me today and I'm going there quickly! Madhumangala, you can take the food!" (85)

 

 

Madhumangala said: "0 Old woman! Give me the reward for my blessings!", and Jatila gave him the golden ring from her own finger. (86)

 

 

Getting this, Madhumangala was very happy and repeatedly slapped his armpits. He bound the food in his cloth and danced, praising Jatila. Then, urged by Jatila, he told Krishna: "Accept her reward, otherwise her sacrifice is not complete! Please take the reward. If You don't need it, then give it to another brahmana! It will be for the benefit of this avowed lady!" (87-89)

 

 

Although Krishna repeatedly refused, Madhumangala said: "I will accept the result of Your shortcoming!", bound the two rings in his cloth and laughed. (90)

 

 

Jatila told Krishna: "0 brahmana ! I will be so fortunate if You come to my house! I will accept You as my priest of the sungod and give You a big fee!" (91)

 

 

Saying this, Jatila bowed down to the two brahmanas. Feeling satisfied, she returned home with Radhika and Her friends. (92)

 

 

yanti vivartya sahasalapanac cha lena grivam muhur Iah'tayanugaya murareh vaktrabja saragham apanga taranga bhangya radha pibanty api na trptim avapa dma

 

While Radha went home with Jatila She repeatedly turned Her neck, looking behind Her on  the pretext of speaking with Lalita and the others, just to look back at Murari, who was going  out of sight now. Although Radha drank the nectar of Han's lotuslike face like a honeybee  with the waves of Her glances, She could still not be satiated. This made Her suffer. (93)

 

 

hrdaya dayita lila snigdha dugdhaih prapurna tanu kanaka ghati ya subhruvo'syah sakhinam

nayana mudam atanit sasu vairasyam apta

viraha visa vivarna netra santaptaye'bhut

 

The jug of fairbrowed Radhika's golden body was filled with the pleasing milk of Her heart's  beloved's playful sports. This gave great joy to the eyes of Her girlfriends, but now this  jug lost its colour since the poison of Her separation from Krishna turned the milk sour and  their eyes began to burn of IL (94)

 

 

kanta sangendu samphulla krsno nilotpala prabhah viechedarkodaye mlayan ksanad

anya ivabhavat

 

And the blue lotus of Krishna's body, that was blooming in the moonlight of His union with  His beloved, at once whithered away when the sun of His separation from Her began to shine,  and He looked like another person.(95)

 

 

When Krishna, with Subala and Madhumangala, joined His friends in this unhappy mood, they  all came running up to Him, wanting to be first to touch Him and embrace Him. They told  Him: "Dear friend! After You left us we suffered intolerable separation from You. This  was very cruel of You. We know that You are most softened out of love because when we  looked for You with anxious, distressed minds, You returned to us within half a second!" (96- 97)

 

 

Such is the great, beautiful and boundless nectar-ocean of Shri Han's midday-pastimes with  Shri Radha and Her friends that is inaccessible to outsiders. Only because the wind of Snia  Rupa Gosvami's grace blew over it I was blessed with the touch of some drops of it, as I'm  just confined to the shore. (98)

 

 

In the great poem Govinda Lilamrta, which was the result of service to Shri Rupa  Gosvami, who is a honeybee at Shri Chaitanya's lotusfeet, the encouragement of Shri  Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, the association of Shri liva Gosvami and the blessing  of Shri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, this was the eighteenth chapter; dealing with  the midday pastimes.